Opinion & Analysis
For Calvin Peete’s Sake: An Appreciation
Eight years ago, I was sitting in a T.G.I. Fridays in Times Square with Calvin Peete waiting on our order to come. I had just moderated a panel discussion on the past, present and future of African-Americans in golf that featured Peete. After the panel discussion came the obligatory pictures and handshakes with his many admirers that had attended the event. A quiet and dignified man, Peete always seemed pleased but slightly surprised by the attention he would attract.
When I came up to shake his hand and thank him for his participation he mentioned that he was a little hungry. I offered to treat him to dinner, with the full expectation that the golf legend would have a far better offer. To my surprise, he accepted my offer and asked if Friday’s would be too expensive. I told him that I would take him anywhere he wanted; “Oh no, I like Friday’s. They have a great steak.” Despite my protestations and offers to indulge in Manhattan’s finest he insisted on Friday’s, so off to Friday’s we went.
It was a modest choice made by a modest man. Born in Detroit, Mich., and reared in central Florida as one of his father’s 19 children from two marriages, Peete dropped out of high school to earn money for his family. One of his jobs was picking corn for endless hours in the hot Florida sun. When his friends asked him to play golf at the local course, he told them he had enough of being outside.
In addition to his aversion to being outdoors in the heat, Peete’s left arm wouldn’t fully straighten as a result of a broken elbow suffered as a child. Eventually he relented and took up the game at age 23, beginning one of the most meteoric career arcs in golf’s long history. Just nine short years from picking up his first club, he refined his game to the point where he made the PGA Tour, playing in his first Tour event at the age of 32, a point where most pros are prime for their first victory. Just nine years later, Peete won the Vardon Trophy, given annually to the professional golfer with the lowest per-round score, averaging 70.56 shots per round, giving him statistical claim to the title of the Tour’s best player. And the following year he won The Players Championship, considered the sport’s “fifth major” and host to one of the strongest fields of competitors in golf each year.
In the time it takes most people to figure out if they are worthy to compete at the highest level, Peete had ascended to the pinnacle. He only had about 10 truly competitive years, but amassed 12 wins and 73 top-10 finishes in that time, a stunning success rate. And he was also the straightest driver in the history of the game, racking up 10 consecutive driving accuracy titles on Tour. Ironically, Peete said that it was his disfigured left arm that helped him to create the most repeatable swing in the game.
But my lasting impression of Peete comes more from his demeanor off the course than his exploits on it. He never forgot that he had honed his game on the ill-kempt, often segregated muni courses that were a far cry from the manicured tracks that his competitors had grown up with. He gave his time generously to kids, volunteering with The First Tee of Washington, DC at historic Langston Golf Course, the National Park Service course built in 1939 specifically to accommodate African-Americans who were barred from other courses. Peete didn’t like to show off, but when he gave a demonstration of how to hit a golf ball it was like watching Tony Gwynn give a demonstration of how to hit a baseball. It was like he was simply born to do it.
Despite his sterling record of accomplishment and pioneering legacy, Peete was never selected to the World Golf Hall of Fame. Like many others, I lobbied persistently with the sport to honor the man while he was still alive. My entreaties intensified after attending the Hall of Fame induction for the late Charlie Sifford, the man who broke the PGA Tour’s color line. Sifford died earlier this year but he had the opportunity to attend his own induction ceremony. I know for a fact that the honor changed him; he had harbored much anger from the indignities he had suffered while competing as the only Black golfer on the Tour. He told me the night before the induction that he was going to “get some back” at his awards speech, but when the waves of applause hit him, his heart melted and he spent a solid hour thanking those whom he had intended to curse. It was a cathartic moment, a public baptism that cleansed Sifford and every soul within the sound of his voice. Sifford cried, but he was probably that last one in the house to do so.
I wanted Calvin Peete to have that moment, that magical experience of achievement and acceptance. He was not going to lift a finger to make it happen; asking him to promote himself would be like asking him to hit a drive out of bounds intentionally. Waiting for our steak to come at Friday’s that night, I asked him about the Hall of Fame. “It would be nice,” he said. Understated as always, but in his eyes was a combination of competitive fire and a longing for the respect of his peers that communicated how important it would be for him. And if his peers voted he would have been in years ago. But the votes come from those with other agendas, and so he waited.
As the old folks say, Calvin Peete is gone to glory now. His wait is over. But here in the mortal realm, the wait continues for the game to pay proper homage to the man with the crooked arm who hit the straightest ball anyone ever saw. He overcame poverty, injury and society to become the heart and soul of a game that was not ready to accept him as its face. He deserves a hell of a lot more than a steak dinner.
Aronimink is not a storied club, but when Donald Ross himself proclaimed it to be as good as he can design and build, one had to take notice. Jay Sigel was the pre-eminent male amateur golfer from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He might have called any number of Philadelphia clubs home, but he chose Aronimink. It served him well. Gary Player won a PGA Championship here in 1962, and was followed by the 1993 winner … nobody. Aronimink gave that event away to Inverness, for reasons of which it is certainly not proud. So be it. We had to wait sixty-four years for the PGA to return to Newtown Square, but here we are. Aronimink has been neo-restored by Gil Hanse and team, to return Ross features with an eye toward defense against the dark arts, errrr, high-tech equipment.
Day one saw Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau dig big holes, to the tune of plus-four and plus-six, respectively. Since the first-round lead will be minus-three at worst, many shots will need to be made up for the power couple to reach contention. By nightfall, seven golfers held the day-one lead at three-under par 67. Shots and sticks caught our attention, and we are proud to present Five Things We Learned on Tech Thursday at the 2026 PGA Championship. Thanks to InsideTourGolfer, Today’s Golfer, and GolfWRX for initial equipment research.
First, meet Min Woo Lee
Min Woo Lee, aka Dr. Chipinski, has once again thrust himself into the conversation of Can he, will he, when will he? Lee has so much talent, wins not nearly as often as we believe that he should, and has no major near-misses (much less titles) on his wiki. The young Aussie is getting older and wiser, but is he able to avoid the scarring that holds the older and wiser back from breaking through? Philadelphia offers another opportunity. Min Woo signed for five birdies and two bogeys on day one, and grabbed a share of the opening-day lead at Aronimink. Winners transcend history and the moment, and Lee will need that sort of ascent to lift the Wannamaker on Sunday.
Second, meet Aldrich Potgeiter
The young South African golfer can rip driver with the best of them. Aronimink tips out at nearly 7400 yards, but beyond the fairway bunkers that ensnare only the mortals, Potgeiter can take his chances with wedge from the rough. On Thursday, he spent plenty of time in the spinach. Like Popeye, he used his muscles to gouge and thrash and dig his way out. Six birdies against three bogeys on the card brought AP in a three deep.
Third, meet Martin Kaymer
Not a major event takes place without a where’s he been throwback moment. We know that Martin Kaymer left the PGA and DP World tours for LIV golf, but the two-time (US Open and PGA) major winner has a lifetime exemption into at least one major event, and he seizes the opportunity each May. Kaymer joined the six-seven brigade with four birdies and a solitary bogey on day one. Kaymer was never a long hitter, and the years are kind to no golfer. The German champion will need to uncork every bottle of guile and strategy in his cabinet to remain in contention. For today, though, he occupies a rung on the ladder of Tour Tech.
Fourth, meet Scottie Scheffler
Let’s see, he’s the defending champion at the PGA, and he found his way back to the top tier with five birdies against two bogeys. To be a favorite and then play up to that stature and expectation is quite difficult. Just ask Rory, Bryson, and some of the other pre-tournament heartthrobs. Scheffler’s game is complete, and to knock him off the OWGR #1 pedestal, one needs to defeat him at the majors. Aronimink is the sort of course that fits Scheffler’s game. Better yet, it unfits the game of many of his challengers. Don’t expect Scheffler to go away anytime soon. Come Sunday, he’ll be around.
Fifth, meet Stephan Jaeger
Clocking in for the unheralded players shift are Ryo Hisatsune and Stephan Jaeger. Hisatsune logged seven birdies on day one, but gave most of them back with four bogeys. Still, he’s tied at the top for a time. Jaeger pitched five birdies against two bogeys, including a run of three consecutive, from holes four through six. Odds are that one of the two will hang around through 36 holes. Odds also suggest that both will be gone by Saturday evening. Still, the PGA Championship has historically been the major most likely to be won by an under-known. Both Hisatsune and Jaeger feature on that list, so good luck, lads!
On this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, I head to the Titleist Performance Institute for a full driver fitting with the new Titleist GTS lineup. We dive into the fitting process, talk about what made the biggest difference in performance, and break down how the different GTS heads and shaft combinations compare on the launch monitor. If you are thinking about a new driver setup for this season, there is a lot to take away from this one.
I also get into Brooks Koepka and the gear setup he brought to the PGA Championship, including the putters that caught my eye during the week. There are some interesting equipment trends showing up at the highest level right now and we break down what stands out.
To wrap things up, I talk about reshafting a few wedges, what I learned during the process, and swapping an adaptor onto a new shaft for another build project in the shop. A gear packed episode from start to finish for anyone who loves golf equipment and club building.
Follow Club Junkie everywhere:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clubjunkiepod/
X: https://x.com/ClubJunkiePod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@clubjunkiepod
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@clubjunkiepod
Excited for this week’s WITB as we get to add the new Titleist GTS woods to the bag! I was fit at Titleist’s TPI facility in Oceanside California a few weeks ago and my new clubs just showed up. I am also adding a cool set of irons that I built last year some wild custom wedges into a new golf bag. Speaking of the bag I have a new Ghost Anyday Black Ops stand bag that I will be using on my Motocaddy Remote M7 electric cart.
Driver: Titleist GTS3 (11 degrees @ 10.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 6s
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD CQ-7s
5-wood: Titleist GTS (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s
9-wood: Titleist GT1 (24 degress)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s
Irons: Bettinardi CB24 (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper Lite 110 stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (50-09 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (56-12 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (60-08 LB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Putter: Dan Carraher ZT Proto
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour
Bag: Ghost Anyday Black Ops Stand Bag
Justin Rose WITB 2026 (April): Full WITB breakdown with new McLaren irons
RBC Heritage Tour Report: More minis, course-specific setups, Spider & GTS launches
What’s the story behind Webb Simpson’s custom-stamped irons?
Cadillac Championship Tour Report: Spieth’s sizable changes, McLaren Golf launches, and more
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2026 Cadillac Championship
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Nelly Korda WITB 2026 (April)
Justin Rose on the switch to McLaren Golf, learnings from previous equipment moves
Photos from the 2026 PGA Championship
Patrick Reed WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Titleist GT3 (9 degrees) Buy here. Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 130 M.S.I. 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)...
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Driver: TaylorMade M6 (9 degrees) Shaft: Aldilda Synergy Blue 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue...
Michael Block WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black VeloCore+ 5 X 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees @14.25) Shaft: Mitsubishi...
Bryson DeChambeau WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Krank Formula Fire Pro (6 degrees) Shaft: Project X Prototype 3-wood: Krank Formula Fire (10 degrees) Shaft: LA Golf BAD...
-
Whats in the Bag3 weeks agoKristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
-
Whats in the Bag2 weeks ago
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
-
Tour Photo Galleries3 weeks agoPhotos from the 2026 PGA Championship
-
Equipment2 weeks agoGolfWRX Launch Report: 2026 Titleist GTS drivers
-
Equipment2 weeks agoPGA Championship Tour Report: Fitzpatrick, Koepka among big-name putter switches for Aronimink
-
News2 weeks agoWITB Time Machine: Phil Mickelson’s winning WITB, 2021 PGA Championship
-
Equipment2 weeks agoWhich of Tiger’s major winning irons are your favorite? – GolfWRXers discuss
-
Equipment2 weeks agoLead Tape Report: Adjusting the swingweight of the Wanamaker Trophy
Alex T
May 10, 2015 at 12:50 pm
What an exceptional, insightful article. Sadly, in my lifetime of watching golf I haven’t been privy to witness such an apparently gifted golfer, he was gone before my time, but I’m sat here asking myself why when I watch the golf on TV and the commentators are lauding Jack Nicklaus, Arnie, Gary Player, Bobby Jones, Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods and all the other legends (all of whom have broken ground in some unique way or another) they aren’t also reminiscing about someone equally as important in Calvin Peete? It seems a shame…
Tahl
May 5, 2015 at 12:17 pm
It isn’t a hall of fame without a guy like Calvin in it. Thanks for writing this article.
Dennis Clark
May 4, 2015 at 9:03 pm
Yes sir, spot on Michael. Calvin was the rare exception to the world of privilege and pamper.
Jafar
May 4, 2015 at 9:30 am
The man is truly an inspiration, not just for golf but for anything in life.
Mike d
May 4, 2015 at 1:46 am
Great read. Cal Peete was an amazing American success story and they don’t make them like him anymore. In addition, no one, and I mean no one rocked the kangol like Cal. Thank you for the story.
BR Smith
May 4, 2015 at 1:15 am
Great article.
Calvin “Pipeline” Peete drove the golf ball straighter than anyone who ever played the PGA Tour.
In some article somewhere, it chronicles Jack Nicklaus once asking Calvin Peete for a lesson.
Charlie Sifford, Calvin Peete, and Pete Brown. Gone but not forgotten. Rest In Peace.
Jimmy
May 2, 2015 at 1:45 am
Great stuff!!!! Im sure someone could still find his old playing lessons from the pros during the original run on golf channel. He claimed to not have played for a few years, was around 70 years old and hit every fairway and hit every green for the nine holes. One of the most accurate drivers and controlled his distance and hit tonnes of greens. Probably the most accurate player ever, for his era.
Nate Jumper
May 1, 2015 at 9:30 pm
Well done. Thank you for the read
GDP
May 1, 2015 at 9:18 pm
Great Player. Great Article. Thanks for sharing!
shimmy
May 1, 2015 at 7:23 pm
Thank you. He is missed.
RG
May 1, 2015 at 7:07 pm
Can you imagine someone not starting the gam until 23 and making the tour today? Well I guarantee Calvin Peete could do it. When we talk about greatest ball strkers of all time Calvin Peete belongs in the discussion. Calvin Peete not Dusty Rhodes is the American Dream. He will be missed but never forgotten….
Swang'nThemClubs
May 1, 2015 at 6:54 pm
WONDERFUL! Thank you for sharing such an organic memory. My Mr. Peete Rest in Peace. I’ll have to go to Friday’s and have a steak now…
Greg V
May 1, 2015 at 3:36 pm
Good stuff. Great golfer.
Thanks for a wonderful article.